“You’ll have your clothing assigned to you, 71 and will learn how to swing your hammocks,” was the answer. 

71

 “Are we going to sleep in hammocks while we’re ashore, in the barracks?” Ned wanted to know. 

 “That’s what you are,” said the guiding officer. “You’ll unlash them every night when you’re piped to do so, and you’ll lash them up, out of the way, every morning, just as if you were aboard a battleship.” 

 “It’s to get used to it,” suggested Frank. 

 “Exactly, and so with everything else done here at the training station. We do it as nearly as it’s done on board a man-o’-war as is possible.” 

 Led by the petty officer into the store department, where the clothing for the apprentice seamen was dealt out, Ned and Frank each received two complete outfits—one for winter and one for summer, consisting of rubber boots and coat, caps, sweater, overcoat, trousers, shoes, underwear—in fact everything necessary. 

 “You’ve now each received sixty dollars’ worth of clothing for your start in a new life,” commented the officer. 

 “I’m afraid mine are going to be too big for me,” remarked one newly enlisted lad, who was rather small, though not below the standard. 

 “There’s a tailor right here on the premises, who’ll make them fit you like the paper on the 72 wall,” said the officer. “And that’s one thing you boys might as well learn first as last. You’ve got to look neat while you’re working for Uncle Sam. He’ll do his part in giving you good clothes and the means to keep them in order. The rest is up to you.” 

72

 “I’m glad to hear that,” remarked Frank. 

 “Same here,” agreed his brother. “If there’s anything I like, it’s to be clean and neat.” 

 They had both been brought up that way. 

 If Ned and Frank had imagined that now they had received their outfit of clothing, there was nothing more to be done for a time, they were disappointed, for the petty officer, having arranged with the tailor to make certain alterations in some of the garments, told the recruits they would now be expected to mark each of their articles of wearing apparel with a stencil, so that each one would always know which was his. 

 Prev. P 44/123 next